Boat construction



May 15, 1962 T. P. MCLAUGHLIN 3,034,472

. BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 5, 1958 2 Shee'bS-Sheeb l 62 Thomas P. McLaughlin D6 k l ////A\///If /I/l/ /1 n 1N VEN TOR.

'BY @Mm www May 15, 1962 T. P. MCLAUGHLIN 3,034,472

BOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ngz muli/jjj w Thamas P. McLaughlin INVENTOR.

UnitedStates Patent 3,034,472 BOAT CONSTRUCTION Thomas P. McLaughlin, 1032A Constantinople St., New Orleans, La. Filed Sept. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 759,177 6 Claims. (Cl. 11514) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in boat construction, and more specifically to improved boat propulsion means.

The boat propulsion means now in use consist primarily of a rotating shaft having a propeller thereon. In order to obtain the maximum beneficial effect with the propeller, it is necessary that the propeller be disposed below the hull. As a result, the draft of the boat becomes much greater than that necessary for the hull alone. This, of course, greatly restricts the navigation of the boat. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an improved propulsion means for boats, ywhich propulsion means is conned entirely within the hull of the boat whereby the boat may be operated in water of a depth to iloat the boat.

Another object of this invention is to provide a 'boat propulsion system which incorporates a pump and water jet stream for the effective motivation, the propulsion means, with the exception of the power plant and the pump, consisting of non-wearing components whereby the life of the propulsion unit is relatively great.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved propulsion unit which is of such a nature whereby it eliminates both the vconventional screw and rudder, the propulsion unit employing jet streams of water and relying upon such jet streams of water for both propelling a boat and for eifecting the steering thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved propulsion unit for boats and the like, the prO- pulsion unit being of such a nature -whereby the boat rides upon a jet stream of water so as to eliminate turbulence of the water and at the same time to reduce the skin friction.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a conventional type of boat hull having incorporated therein the propulsion unit which is the subject of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the boat hull of FIG- URE l;

FlGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the propulsion unit removed from the boat;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and shows the manner in which a portion of the propulsion unit is mounted within the 4boat and the specific details of the control valves thereof; and l FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 and shows further the details of the control valve.

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Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a boat employing the present invention, the boat being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The boat 10, among other components, includes a bottom 12. Mounted within the boat 10 centrally of the boat in a fore and aft direction is the propulsion system which is the subject of this i11- vention, the propulsion system being referred to in general by the reference numeral 14.

The propulsion system 14 includes a pump 16 which is driven by means of a suitable power unit 18. The power unit 18 is illustrated as being in the form of an internal combustion engine and for the most practical purposes an internal combustion engine will be used. However, other types `of power sources may be relied upon if desired. The power source 18 includes a drive shaft 20 which is aligned with a drive shaft 22 of the pump 16 and coupled thereto by means of a coupling 24`.

The propulsion unit 14 also includes a pair of identical, except for being right and left, propulsion units 26 and 28. Inasmuch as the propulsion units 26 and 28 are, except for being left and right, identical, only the pro pulsion unit 26 will be described in detail hereinafter.

The propulsion unit 26 includes a housing generally referred to by the reference numeral 30 which is elongated longitudinally of the boat and includes side walls 32 and 34 which are connected together at opposite ends by means of end walls 36 and 38. The housing 30 also includes a top wall 40 and partial bottom wall portions 42 and 44.

The housing 30 is divided into a central suction or intake chamber 46, a forward pressure chamber 48 and an air pressure chamber 50 by means of partition walls 52 and 54, as is best shown in FIGURE 4. The partition walls 52 and 54 extend upwardly from the rear and forward ends of the partial bottom walls 44 and 42, respectively.

It is to Ibe noted that the end walls 36 and 38 have their lower portions outwardly bowed as at 56 and 58, respectively. Carried by the lower portions of the end walls 36 and 38 and the side walls 32 and 34 is a peripheral mounting ilange 60. The peripheral mounting flange 6l) is used to mount the propulsion unit 26 within the boat 10 and secure it to the boat bottom 12. A seal between the :boat bottom 12 and the mounting flange 60 is facilitated 4by means of a sealing strip 62. Any suitable type of fastener may be used to secure the mounting ilange 60 to the boat bottom 12. Incidentally, the boat bottom 12 has an opening 64 therein corresponding to the lower part of the housing 30.

The suction lor intake chambers 46 are intended to supply water to the pump 16. This is accomplished by means of a manifold pipe 66 which extends between the propulsion units 26 and 2S and opens into the suction chambers 46 thereof. Other piping 68 connects the manifold 66 to the intake 70 of the pump 16. In order that foreign matter may -be prevented from entering into the pump 16, the lower part of the suction chambers, such as the suction chamber 46, are closed by a replaceable screen 72. The screen 72 is recessed slightly up into the housing 30, as is best shown in FIGURE 4.

Water is delivered from the pump 16 to the two propulsion units 26 and 28 by means of a supply manifold 74. The manifold 74 is connected to the outlet of the closed by means of a valve assembly 86.

pump 16 by means of suitable piping 76, the outlet being referred to by the reference numeral 78. Overlying the top wall of each of the propulsion units 26 and 28 is an inverted U-shaped pipe assembly 80 which opens dow-n into the two pressure chambers of each propulsion unit. The pipe assemblies 80 are connected to the manifold 74 for receiving water under pressure therefrom.

The partial bottom wall section 42 is provided with an opening 82 therein through which water may escape. Passage of the water through the opening 82 is controlled by means of a valve assembly 84. As is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 4, the valve assembly 84 is so positioned within the pressure chamber 34 and relative to the opening 82 whereby water can fiow only out and to the left, as is viewed in FIGURE 4. The bottom wall 4portion 44 is also provided with an opening 85 which corresponds to the opening 82. The opening 85 may be The relationship of the valve assembly 86 with respect to the opening 85 is that flow from the pressure chamber 48 can only be to the right. Thus the ow of water from the two pressure chambers 46 and 50 is in opposite directions.

Since the valve assemblies 84 and 86 are identical, only vthe valve assembly 86 will be described in detail. The

valve assembly 86 includes a shaft 88 which extends through the side walls 32 and 34 and is suitably journaled therein. The shaft 88 is positioned by means of collars 90 and 92 mounted thereon and engaging the outer surfaces of the side walls 32 and 34 to prevent transverse shifting of the shaft S8.

Secured to the shaft 88 intermediate the side walls 32 and 34 and extending therebetween is a sleeve 94. The sleeve 94 has seated in opposite ends thereof O- rings 96 and 98 which engage the side walls 32 and 34, respectively, to form a seal therewith. This prevents escape of water around the shaft 88 and through the side walls 32 and 34.

Secured to the sleeve 94 is a generally L-shaped member 100 which includes a horizontal leg 102 and a vertical leg 104. Extending through the vertical leg 104 is a plurality of fasteners 106, as is best shown in FIGURE 5, which fasteners 106 are threadedly engaged into the sleeve 94.

Extending about the horizontal leg 102 of the support 100 is a resilient sealing member 108. The sealing member 108 is clamped in place by means of an upper clamp plate 110 and a lower clamp plate 112. Clamp plates 110 and 112 are retained in place by means of fasteners 114 which extend through the clamp plates 110 and 112, as well as through the horizontal leg 102 and the sealing strip 108.

The sealing strip 108 also terminates in a reversely bent portion 116 which engages the inner section of the bowed lower portion of the end wall 38 and a part of the bottom wall portion 44. Thus a seal between the sealing strip 108 and the end wall 38 is retained at all times. Also, as is shown in FIGURE 5, the opening 85 is not of a -full width and thus the sealing strip 108 forms a seal with the bottom wall portion 44 when the valve assembly 86 is in its closed position.

As is best shown in FIGURE 3, the valve assembly 84 is provided with an upstanding control lever 118. A similar control lever 120 is provided for the valve assembly 86. The control members 118 and 120 are secured to the shafts of their respective valve assemblies. The propulsion unit 28 also includes control levers 122 and 124 which correspond to the control levers 118 and 120, respectively.

When it is desired to go forward, the control levers 118 and 122 are used to open their respective valve assemblies. This will result in a stream of water passing rearwardly out of the pressure chambers corresponding to the pressure chamber 50 to effect the forward movement of the boat 10.

In the operation of the boat 10 utilizing the propulsion system 14, when it is desired that the boat 10 be driven astern, the control levers 120 and 124 are moved to open the forwardmost valve assemblies, which valve assemblies correspond to the valve assembly 86. Water will then ow out of the pressure chambers corresponding to the pressure chamber 48 and beneath the bottom of the boat 10 in the form of a thin water jet. This will result in the movement of the boat 10 astern. By opening one of the valve assemblies further than the other through the use of the control levers 120 and 124, steering of the boat 10 astern is possible.

Of course, the boat may be controlled in its turning movement by varying the opening of the valve assemblies corresponding to the valve assembly 84 through the proper positioning of the control levers 118 and 122. If it is desired to rapidly turn the boat 10, then a jet stream 0f water may be directed rearwardly along one side of the bottom 12 and a similar jet stream of water may be directed forwardly along the opposite side of the bottom 12.

From the foregoing description of the present invention, it will be seen that there has been devised an extremely simple propulsion unit, which propulsion unit, with the exception of the motor and the pump, has very few moving parts and which parts are not subject to wear. In addition, the propulsion unit is mounted entirely within the confines of the boat 16 so that the draft of the boat 10 is not increased due to the propulsion unit projecting therebelow. In addition to this, because of the mode of operation of the propulsion unit 14, the maneuverability of the boat 10 is increased to a maximum. In addition to all of these advantages, there is the smoothness of ride of the boat due to the sheet of water passed under the boat during the propulsion thereof.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A boat including a substantially horizontal and planar bottom portion, propulsion means comprising a pump, a water intake opening downwardly through said bottom portion, piping connecting said pump to said water intake, 'forward exhaust ports opening forwardly and aft exhaust ports opening rearwardly and downwardly through said planar bottom portion for directing propulsion streams of water in opposite directions, and valve means mounted adjacent said exhaust ports for controlling the flow of water therethrough, said exhaust ports being in fore and aft alignment, said water intake being disposed intermediate and in fore and aft alignment with said exhaust ports.

2. Propulsion means for a boat comprising a pump, a water intake, piping connecting said pump to said water intake, for-ward exhaust ports opening forwardly and aft exhaust ports opening rearwardly for directing propulsion streams of water in opposite directions, valve means mounted adjacent said exhaust ports for controlling the How of water therethrough, and means secured to said exhaust ports for mounting said exhaust ports in a boat hull substantially flush with the underside of the boat hull, said water intake being disposed intermediate said exhaust ports and forming a unit therewith.

3. Propulsion means for a boat comprising a pump, transversely spaced propulsion units on opposite sides of said pump, and piping connecting said propulsion units to said pump, each of said propulsion units including a water intake, forward exhaust ports opening forwardly and aft exhaust ports opening rearwardly for directing propulsion streams of water in opposite directions, and valve means mounted adjacent said exhaust ports for controlling the ow of water therethrough said exhaust ports being in fore and aft alignment and intakes being disposed intermediate said exhaust ports and in alignment therewith.

4. The combination of claim 2 including means secured to said exhaust ports for mounting said exhaust ports in a boat hull substantially flush with the underside of the boat hull, the Water intake of each of said units being slightly recessed above the exhaust ports thereof.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said exhaust ports comprises a rectangular opening formed in said unit, said unit being adapted to be secured in a boat hull with said openings extending transversely thereof.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein each of said valve means includes a clamp plate mounted for swinging arcuate movement from a position received in one of said openings to a position rotated slightly inwardly `thereof, whereby said clamp plate will overlie a portion of the bottom of said unit at an angle thereto to define tWo converging surfaces defining one of said exhaust ports.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Morton Apr. 2, 1901 Gillin Dec. 31, 1901 Okun June 2, 1903 Motte May S, 1923 Grieve Nov. 6, 1956 Haase et al. July 2, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1904 

